Sound Bite: Omar Kazi Earns Russell L. Carson Visionary Award

It’s become a tradition and high point at The Child Center annual gala to present the Russell Carson Visionary Award to a staff member who consistently goes above and beyond for clients and represents the kind of forward-thinking that defines The Child Center. Our 2018 award went to Omar Kazi, who recently was promoted to Assistant Program Director of our Asian Outreach Program. Kazi, who immigrated from Bangladesh as a teenager, provides mental health support to immigrants dealing with acculturation stress and individuals coping with mental illness and trauma. He also conducts outreach to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues in Asian communities. Impressively, he does it all with a 95 percent productivity rate. Upon presenting Kazi with the award, CEO Traci Donnelly remarked, “Omar envisions a brighter future for his clients, and in turn, they can see it for themselves.”

About The Child Center of NY

The Child Center of NY began in 1953 as a children’s counseling center in Queens. Today, we are a powerful community presence throughout NYC, reaching more than 35,000 children and their families each year. Our mission is to strengthen children and families with skills, opportunities, and emotional support to build healthy, successful lives. We guide children from birth to adulthood with evidence-based, innovative programs that engage them with school and help them become secure, capable, and confident.